Vacuum operated signal device



Jan. 12, 1954 D. P. POLYMEROS 2,666,197

VACUUM OPERATED SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Sept. 2, 1949 z, I I n I I I 1/ I I z I3 I I I I, I

r I I I I I I I/ 3 1 V I I. Q l- \.J ,2 I 1 1 1/ 1/ I 22 w a a? 38 a 28 a; 4 a, v

He. 2 M

IN V EN TOR. DONALD P POL. YMEROS 8%,QQM

ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUM OPERATED SIGNAL DEVICE Donald P. Polymeros, Minneapolis, Minn., as-

signor to Neil A. Champagne, Minneapolis,

Minn.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel device for constantly warning the driver of an automobile or truck when the engine thereof may be wasting fuel and oil, as a result of the vacuum in the engine intake manifold becoming so low or weak that the liquid fuel drawn through the carburetor into th intake manifold is only partially atomized, and may enter the cylinders partially in a liquid state.

To obtain maximum efficiency and economy in the operation of an internal combustion engine, it is of utmost importance that the engine be operated at a speed whereby the vacuum developed in the engine intake manifold is sufficiently high to cause the liquid fuel to pass through the carburetor at a velocity assuring thorough atomization of the liquid fuel, whereby the atomized fuel may readily be intermixed with a supply of air to provide a highly combustible fuel mixture for delivery into the engine cylinders, which is readily ignitable. Should the operator, when initially starting the engine, open the throttle valve out of proportion to the ability of the engine to consume the partially atomized fuel, resulting in a low vacuum, there is certain to be a definite wastage in the consumption of liquid fuel and oil, and possible drainage to the engine cylinders and pistons in the way of scored wearing surfaces.

It is also well known that when driving up a long or steep incline, the speed of the engine may sometimes drop to the extent that the engine noticeably labors in an attempt to propel the vehicle. When the engine thus labors under a load, the vacuum in the intake manifold usually drops below its normal or efficient operating strength, whereby unatomized fuel may be drawn into the engine. Under such a condition, the warning device is instantly made operable to warn the driver that the engine is operating under a vacuum which is too low to effectively atomize the liquid fuel for economical operation. This condition may be quickly remedied by the driver shifting into a lower gear ratio, whereby the speed of the engine may be quickly increased to an eificient operating speed, as will be understood.

Many drivers have the habit of fully depressing the accelerator pedal when starting the vehicle in an attempt to obtain a quick start. Such manipulation of the accelerator pedal usually results in raw or unatomized liquid fuel being drawn into the engine cylinders, resulting in a wastage of fuel and oil, and only serves to dilute the oil in the crank case and to remove from the cylinder and piston walls, the film of lubricant normally adhering thereto to protect such surfaces, thereby greatly increasing the wear of the parts, as well as loss of power and fuel wastage.

It is therefore highly desirable that some means be provided which may readily be installed in a conventional automotive vehicle at a minimum of cost, and which will operate indefinitely and substantially without added cost, to constantly warn the driver of an automobile each time the vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine drops below a predetermined strength, necessary for thorough and complete atomization of the fuel to assure efiicient and economical engine performance and whereby the driver may quickly remedy such conditions and restore the vacuum in the intake manifold to an efiicient operating strength.

An object of the present invention therefore is to provide a simple inexpensiv device adapted to be mounted upon the usual instrument panel of an automotive vehicle and having means therein for visually, or otherwise indicating to the driver when the vacuum in the intake manifold drops below a predetermined strength, whereby unatomized fuel is likely to be drawn into the engine, and whereby the operator may quickly eliminate such fuel wastage by releasing the pressure on the accelerator pedal, or shifting into a lower gear ratio to permit the engine to increase its speed and restore the vacuum to its normal operating strength, whereupon the warning device again is rendered inoperative.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a warning or indicating device comprising a small tubular body having means for conveniently mounting it on the usual instrument panel of an automotiv vehicle, whereby only one end thereof is visible from the interior of the vehicle, and which end includes a translucent lens fitted into said casing and which is illuminated when the light bulb within said hollow body is illuminated, as a result of ineflicient operation of the engine, or when the operator inserts the ignition key into the usual ignition switch, but for some reason fails to start the engine. In such cases the warning signal will be on to indicate to the operator of the vehicle that the switch key is in the on position, and that a circuit is closed to the battery, resulting in current wastage and a possible rundown battery.

A further and more specific object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described, comprising a small cylindrical body preferably constructed of a suitable current conducting metal, and having a non-conductive translucent plug removably secured in the front end thereof, which operates as a lens or window through which the light from the interior of said body may be noted, when the electric light bulb contained within said member is turned. on, and said cylindrical body having, a non-conductive element secured to the inner end thereof and DlOJBClJlIIg into the chamber within said member and having an enlarged terminal socket therein adapted to receive and support a suitable contact member, normally held in electrical contact, with the center contact of a conventional light bulb by a suitable spring which may form a portion of the electric supply circuit for the light bulb, the outer contact of the light bulb base being grounded to the wall of said hollow body, and the non-conductive element secured to the inner end of said tubular member having an axial bore therein extending therethrough for establishing communication between the interior of the hollow body of said device and one end of a conduit, the opposite end of which is in communica tion with the interior of the intake manifold of the engine, whereby the vacuumin the intake manifold will cause the spring-actuated switch contact of the warning device to automatically open and break the circuit to the electric light bulb therein, when the vacuum in the intake manifold attains an economical or efficient opating strength, thereby assuring the operator that the engine is operating at an efiicient speed with out fuel wastage. Should the speed of the engine for some reason drop to a point whereby the ability of the engine to consume the partially atomized fuel admitted thereto, said warning device will automatically become operable to warn the driver of such condition, whereby the driver may quickly-make such adjustments ofv the vehicle controls as may be necessary to restore the speed of the engine to its most. economical operating speed.

Other objects of the invention reside in the specific construction of the device, whereby it may be made in quantity production at extremely low cost; in the novel manner in which the electric light bulb is supported within the tubular body of the warning device, and whereby it may readily be removed therefrom for replacement if necessary; in the specific construction of the switch which comprises merely a spherical movable contact element and a fixed contact, and a small spiral spring which normally holds the spherical contact member in electrical contact with the light bulb to illuminate the device, when the engine, for some reason is operating at a speed which may cause fuel wastage; and in the novel manner of operatively connecting the warning device to the engine whereby the installation thereof in a conventional vehicle is extremely simple and inexpensive.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown, as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims Which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the switch of the warning device in circuitclosing position;

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the spherical contact member in circuit-opening position, as when the engine is operating at an economical speed;

Figure 3 is a View schematically illustrating the connection between the warning device and the intake manifold of the invention, and the electric circuit therefor; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a portion or" an instrument panel with the warning device mounted thereon.

The novel warning or indicating device herein disclosed is shown comprising a suitable hollow body 2', preferably cylindrical in cross-section, and having one end shown slightly enlarged and adapted to be fitted into an opening 3 in the wall 4 of the instrument panel of the vehicle, generally indicated by the numeral 5. A finishing plate or collar 6 may be fitted over the projecting end portion of the body 2 and is retained in position thereon by a suitable snap ring '2 fitted into a groove 8 in the periphery of the enlarged forward portion of the body 2. A suitable spring 9 is shown having one end seated against the wall 4 of the instrument panel and its opposite end against an abutment shoulder ll, whereby the spring constantly exerts an axial thrust on the body 2 to prevent rattling thereof in the opening 3 of the instrument panel.

The exposed end portion of the body 2 is internally threaded, as clearly indicated in. Figures 1 and 2, for the reception of a translucent plug l2, which may be constructed of a suitable plastic material such as Lucite, now well known on the market. The plug l2, in addition to closing the end. of the chamber l3 within the hollow body 2, cooperates with means within the chamber It to support an electric light bulb M in fixed relation within said chamber. The light bulb I4 is preferably of. the type having a bayonet base I5 provided with opposed pins 16. The pins 16 are shown engaged with one end of a compression springv H, the opposite end of which is seated against the bottom I8 of the bore or chamber 13. The engagement of the spring H with the opposed pins I6 of the light bulb will cause the bulb to be held firmly in position within the chamber [3, as a result of the front end of the bulb engaging the adjacent face ii! of the translucent plug l2.

The body 2 of the device is preferably constructed of a suitable current-conducting metal, and a spring I! acts as a conductor for conducting current from the wall of the body 2 to the outer conductor or shell of the base [5 of the light bulb, through the opposed pins 16.

Secured to the inner end of the hollow body 2 isv an element 2| of a suitable insulating material which, has a threaded extension 22 at one end received in a threaded bore in the adjacent end of thev body' 2. The threaded extension 22 pro.- jects inwardly beyond the bottom IQ of the chamber l3 and has the wall of its inner end slotted, as shown at 23 in Figures 1 and 2. A terminal socket or counterbore 24 is also provided in the inner end of the insulating element 2| adapted to receive a spherical or ball type contact member 25, adapted to engage an annular shoulder 26 provided in the bottom of the socket 24, as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

A suitable spring 21 is shown having one end in engagement With the movable contact member 25 and its opposite end in engagement with a pin 28 which traverses the bore 29 in the tubular member 2 I, as clearly illustrated in Figures l and 2. The spring thus constantly urges the spherical contact element into electrical contact with the center contact 3! of the light bulb 14. The pin 28 secured in the element 2| has a wire 32 connecting it to a suitable source of electrio energy such as the usual battery 33 of the vehicle, as shown in Figure 3, and as a result of the instrument board being grounded, as shown at 34 in Figure 3, a complete electric circuit is thus provided for the electric light bulb M, as will be understood by reference to the drawing.

As hereinbefore stated, the turning on and off of the electric light bulb of the novel warning device herein disclosed is automatically effected by variations in the vacuum in the intake manifold, generally designated by the numeral 35, which is secured to the usual engine 36 and is in communication with the upper ends of the usual cylinders of the engine, not shown.

In order that the warning device may be operated by the vacuum in the intake manifold 35, a suitable conduit 31 has one end connected to the reduced end portion 38 of the insulating element 2 l, as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The opposite end of the conduit 3'! may be connected directly to the intake manifold, or, if the device is installed on an automotive vehicle wherein the usual windshield wipers are vacuum operated, the conduit 3'! may be connected to the usual conduit leading from the intake manifold to the windshield motor by a suitable fitting, well known in the art.

When the novel warning device herein disclosed is installed in a vehicle, and the engine is at rest, the spherical movable switch contact 25 is in contact with the center contact 3| of the light bulb It, as shown in Figure 1. Because of the wire 32 being connected to the electric battery 33 through the usual ignition switch, generally indicated by the numeral 39, in Figure 4, the mere closing of the contact 25 Will not cause the light bulb to ignite, unless the ignition key, shown at 39 in Figure 3, is in the on position. The moment the ignition key 39 is turned on to start the motor, or to make it possible to start some of the electric appliances of the vehicle, such as the radio, heater, etc., the light bulb M is turned on whereby the translucent lense or window of the warning device becomes illuminated to thereby warn the driver that the key has been turned to its on position.

The engine may then be started, and developes a vacuum in the intake manifold 35. Such vacuum will, when the engine attains an economical operating speed, cause a suction in the conduit 3'! which will draw the ball contact 25 into engagement with the stop 26, whereby the circuit to the light bulb i4 is opened, thereby indicating to the driver that the engine is operating at an efficient and economical speed.

A vent hole 4| is provided in the wall of the body 2 of the warning device through which air may be drawn into the conduit 3'! to move the switch contact 25 into circuit-opening position against the tension of the spring 21, when such actuation of the switch takes place.

Thus, it will be seen that when the engine is operating at low speed with a relatively low or weak vacuum in the intake manifold, the switch contact 25 may move into electrical contact with the center contact of the electric light bulb i4 and ignite said bulb to cause the warning device to function and warn the driver that the vacuum in the intake manifold may be insufiicient to cause thorough atomization of the liquid fuel, whereby raw or liquid fuel may be drawn into the engine cylinders with a resultant waste of fuel and oil, and possible damage to the cylinder and piston walls. Under such conditions, the

driver of the vehicle will manipulate the engine controls to accelerate the speed of the engine sufficiently to increase the vacuum in the intake manifold to effect complete and thorough atomization of the fuel, which will be indicated to the driver by the light bulb becoming extinguished.

As hereinbefore stated, it is well known that many drivers have a tendency to press the foot throttle to the floor boards when starting out from a semiphore, and the like, which always results in fuel and oil wastage because of the inability of the engine to thoroughly atomize the liquid fuel drawn into the cylinders under low vacuum. The same condition may develop when traveling up a long or steep incline in the event the engine loses power and its speed is decreased to a point where the vacuum in the intake manifold becomes so weak that it is incapable of drawing the liquid fuel through the carburetor and into the intake manifold a surficient velocity to assure thorough and complete atomization of the liquid fuel.

The novel warning device herein disclosed does not in any way retard desirable acceleration of the vehicle, but constantly serves as an effective warning to the driver, when starting the vehicle, should he open the throttle valve to the extent that a wastage of fuel results, or under conditions which may cause the engine speed to decrease to the extent that the vacuum in the intake manifold and carburetor becomes too low to effectively and economically atomize the liquid fuel mixture.

The device also serves as a warning to the driver when the switch key may be left in the ignition switch whereby unnecessary consumption of electric current is eliminated. It will also be noted that the electric light bulb of the warning device is not illuminated under normal driving conditions, whereby it is normally very inconspicuous on the instrument panel. When a condition develops where a fuel wastage results because of a lack of vacuum in the intake manifold, the device immediately goes into action and warns the driver of such condition, whereby the driver soon becomes accustomed to its presence, and eventually may acquire a habit of so operating the engine controls as to cause the engine to operate at maximum efliciency and economy at all times.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vacuum-operated switch of the class described, a metallic body having an enlarged axial bore therein open at one end and terminating at its inner end in a reduced bore, a translucent element forming a closure for theopen end of said enlarged bore, a member of non-conductive material having a reduced end portion extending through the reduced bore in said body and into the adjacent end of the enlarged bore therein, said member having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough and terminating at the reduced end portion of said member in an enlarged chamber, a movable contact element in said chamber, an electric light bulb in the enlarged bore in said metallic body said electric light bulb having an electric filament therein and comprising a metallic base shell which is electrically connected to one end of the bulb filament, the other end of said filament being electrically connected to an electric contact disposed in insulated relation to said shell, and aligned with saidmetallic contact element, a spring element in said passage having one end engaging said contact element and having its opposite end seated against an abutment in said passage, said spring element constantly urging the movable contact element into electrical contact with the central contact of the light bulb,a yieldable element having one end seated in the bottom "of said enlarged bore and having its opposite end electrically connected to the metallic shell of the light bulb, means for electrically connecting the abutment member and said metallic shell to a source of electric energy, and the opposite end of the passage in said insulated member being adapted for connection to one end of a suction tube, whereby the movable contact element in said chamber is actuated by variations in the vacuum in said passage, thereby to retain the movable contact element in circuitopening position when the vacuum in said passage exceeds a predetermined figure.

2. A vacuum operated switch for a warning light according to claim 1, wherein the electric light bulb is of conventional construction and is retainedin the enlarged bore in said metallic body by the translucent closure plug secured to one end thereof.

DONALD P. POLYMEROS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,950,532 Wasson Mar. 13, 1934 2,253,425 Garland Aug. 19, 1941 2,343,394 Blomberg et a1 Mar. 7, 1944 2,358,425 Tickell Sept. 19, 1944 2,424,574 Marco July 29, 1947 2,503,553 Hollins Apr. 11, 1950 

